1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pencil type ultrasonic probe provided with a finger grip adapter and, more particularly, to the ultrasonic probe provided with the adapter on which operator's fingers can be hooked to allow the ultrasonic probe to be held by the operator, so that a beam radiation surface of the ultrasonic probe can be stably held with respect to a body surface of an patient to be examined during an ultrasonic diagnosis.
2. Description of the Related Art
In an ultrasonic diagnosis, an ultrasonic probe is brought into contact with a body surface of a patient to be examined. An ultrasonic beam is emitted from a beam radiation surface of the ultrasonic probe onto the patient. The ultrasonic beam (echo) reflected inside the patient is detected by the ultrasonic probe through the beam radiation surface and converted into an electric signal. The electric signal is transmitted to an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus and electrically processed therein. As a result, for example, a tomographic image inside the patient can be obtained, and a moving portion in the patient can be observed or the flow speed of the blood can be measured.
When a patient whose body size is relatively small, e.g., a child or newborn baby, is to be subjected to an ultrasonic diagnosis, a pencil type ultrasonic probe is sometimes used, which is smaller in size than a normal ultrasonic probe and has a relatively narrow range of performing an ultrasonic diagnosis. The pencil type ultrasonic probes can be categorized into two types, i.e., one having only one transducer element (single type) and the other having a plurality of transducer elements. In the former type, changes in a moving portion with a lapse of time can be observed using the M mode, and the flow speed of the blood can be measured using the Doppler mode. In the latter type, in addition to the above functions, a tomographic image inside the patient can be obtained using the B mode, while the probe is kept at the same position.
In order to accurately execute an ultrasonic diagnosis, the beam radiation surface of this pencil type ultrasonic probe must be stably held with respect to the patient's body surface. Especially, in the probe of the latter type, since a tomographic image is taken, the probe must held more stably than the probe of the former type. However, the pencil type ultrasonic probe is smaller in size than the normal probe. More specifically, this probe has a narrow and elongated shape. For this reason, it is very difficult for the operator to stably hold this probe with his hand. Sometimes, an adapter is attached to the pencil type ultrasonic probe. The operator's fingers can grasp this adapter so that the probe can be held by the operator's hand. As shown in FIG. 8, index and middle fingers are hooked on finger grip portion 52 protruding from adapter 50, and the probe is held between the index and middle fingers. When the adapter is attached to the probe, since a relatively large number of portions of the probe are supported by the fingers, the probe can be stably held.
As shown in FIG. 9, however, some operator may prefer to operate the probe without attaching the adapter to the probe. In addition, the adapter need be detached from the probe to allow the probe to be stored in a predetermined place. For this purpose, this adapter is designed to be detachably mounted on the probe.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show conventional adapters, respectively (note that a probe shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is of a single type). Probe 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises extended portion 2 extended by a predetermined length, to which cable 7 extending from an ultrasonic diagnosis apparatus (not shown) is attached, and distal end portion 3, which is bent at a predetermined angle with respect to extended portion 2 and stores a transducer element. Adapter 4 comprises body 5 formed into a ring-like shape corresponding to the outer shape of extended portion 3, and finger grip portion 6 protruding from body 5.
Adapter 4 shown in FIG. 1 can be attached/detached to/from probe 1. However, when adapter 4 is detached from extended portion of probe 1, since distal end portion 3 of probe 1 is bent with respect to extended portion 2, body 5 of adapter 4 cannot pass through distal end portion 3. For this reason, adapter 4 is moved toward cable 7. Since body 5 of adapter 4 has the ring-like shape, adapter 4 cannot be detached from cable 7. In such a case, if the operator operates the probe with detaching the adapter therefrom, the adapter may hit the operator's arm or hand. For this reason, during an ultrasonic diagnosis, the adapter may interfere with the operation of the probe.
Adapter 10 shown in FIG. 2 comprises body 11, in which a through-hole is formed to allow insertion of an extended portion of probe 1 and female thread portions are formed, and a pair of finger grip portions 12, each of which has a male thread portion formed at its distal end to be meshed with a corresponding one of the female thread portions and on each of which the operator's fingers can be hooked. When adapter 10 is to be attached to probe 1, the male thread portions of finger grip portions 12 are rotated in a direction allowing the male thread portions to be fastened to the female threads of body 11, and the distal ends of the male threads are brought into contact with extended portion 12 of probe 1. With this operation, adapter 10 is attached to probe 1 at a proper position of the extended portion. When adapter 10 is detached from probe 1, the male thread portions of finger grip portions 12 are rotated in a direction allowing the male thread portions to be loosened from the female thread portions of body 11, and the distal ends of the male thread portions are separated from extended portion 12 of probe 1. With this operation, the adapter is detached from the probe. In this case, finger grip portions 12 may be detached from the body.
Similar to the case in FIG. 1, however, when adapter 10 is detached from probe 1, since distal end portion 3 of probe 1 is bent with respect to extended portion 2, distal end portion 3 cannot pass through a through-hole of body 11 of adapter 10. For this reason, body 11 of adapter 10 is moved toward cable 7. Since cable 7 is inserted in the through-hole of body 11 of adapter 10, adapter 10 cannot be detached from cable 7. Thus, similar to the case in FIG. 1, when the operator operates the probe without attaching the adapter thereto, the adapter may interfere with the operator who is operating the probe.
In addition, the adapter shown in FIG. 2 has a large structure. Therefore, when the adapter is attached to the probe, the operator's fingers may not be stably hooked on the finger grip portions of the adapter.
Furthermore, since the adapter is attached/detached to/from the probe using the thread, the adapter cannot be detached from the probe quickly, and hence the operation for attachment/detachment of the adapter is cumbersome. Moreover, when the adapter is attached to the probe, if the thread is loosened, the adapter may be rotated around the extended portion of the probe. For this reason, the operator's fingers may not stably hold the finger grip portions of the adapter.